Tanzania: Labels
We drove about an hour north of Dar es Salaam up into the hills for our second last distribution. Before we started we showed the parents the items that their children were going to receive in the bedkit. They seemed happy and responded with lots of clapping.We shared the different jobs throughout the day. Working together all 715 pictures were taken and bedkits handed out.
At the completion, we met with some representatives from the school board and the headmaster of our school who wanted to speak to us. Mama did the translating for them.They told us that this gift of a bedkit will encourage the students to continue with their education. They said that the contents were very useful to everyone, and would be shared with all of the family. They wanted us to thank all the donors who made this possible. Many families come from from a very difficult environment and the items in the bedkit will help to alleviate some of the challenges they face every day and will enable them to stay in school.
I helped pull labels today, and noticed that there are many different reasons to donate a bedkit...."in memory of", "Happy Birthday ", "To the best Nanna ever", Happy Anniversary", "Merry Christmas", etc. whatever the reason, a child was helped and a family was helped. Thank you donors.
Suzanne for Team Tanzania 2015
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Tanzania: Special Thanks!
The distribution as a whole went very well today. Each member of the team worked very well together and we were able to conduct some interviews with parents, children and teachers. When we pulled into the school in the morning there were literally thousands of children lining or path! The school we visited has between 5000-6000 students and too few classrooms so many classes were held outdoors in the courtyard. When speaking to a teacher we were told that there are easily 200 students per class. I was astonished!
Today was the fifth distribution for team Tanzania 2015 and thanks to SCAW's incredible donors we were able to make at least 715 more children very, very happy. In fact, what I have come to realize is that there are so many more who benefit from one single bedkit. Yesterday, we were fortunate to have visited three homes and I was also able to interview two mothers whose children had received bedkits. Through this interaction, we learned that the bedkit is often a gift for more than one child in the household. One mother mentioned that both of her sons would share the mattress and that the mosquito net could be used by the three older children, as their current net, old and worn, is being used to protect the babies.
We had some large group photos today, one of which is very close to my heart. The school where I teach in Peterborough, Edmison Heights PS, helped provide 34 children with a good night's sleep this evening through their fundraising efforts this past June. These bedkits represent a fraction of what the school community donated toward SCAW, with many individual bedkits having been purchased as well. My heart was filled with so much gratitude as I looked upon the faces of those our students have helped. Thank you, so, so much.
In all honesty, I knew that I would fall in love with these children when I first decided to volunteer with SCAW. What I did not know was that I would fall so much in love with SCAW. I am hooked. After 5 distributions and over 3500 bedkits so far I know that my involvement with SCAW has only just begun.
Lala salama.
Laura for Team Tanzania 2015
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We returned to the same site as Monday for our distribution
today – beside a large soccer stadium.
This certainly worked to our advantage as we photographed a group of 100
children. You should have seen the
bewildered faces on the children as we lead them across an open lot toward the
stadium. But then there was much excitement as we seated 100 children into the
bleachers for their photo. The trip back
across the lot toward the awaiting bedkits and mattresses was a joyful trek!
After our distribution was over, we had the privilege of
visiting three homes of today’s bedkit recipients. In one home, a grandmother was raising eight
of her grandchildren. They were
surviving on a meagre living, and only were able to afford one basic meal a
day.
After dinner we had 14 children from an orphanage visit us.
We were almost as excited as the children. We were able to share the shoes and
clothes that our friends and families from Canada had sent with us. It felt like Christmas, with squeals of
delight as each child found something to wear. In the midst of this excitement,
I was able to help a young boy named Jared, about 8 years old, and a double
amputee. We found a pair of shiny black
running shoes that fit his prosthetic legs, and his smile lit up the room and
my heart.
Helen for Team Tanzania 2015
Tanzania: Imagine
For us North Americans, try to imagine living on 60.00 to 240.00 per month, minimum wage in Tanzania, depending on what industry you work in. A very high percentage of the population in Tanzania do just that, so it is no wonder that they need our/your help, No wonder they live in small meager homes , most often without electricity or running water, live mostly on rice and fish and can fit all their personal belongings in a 5 gallon bucket.
Your $35.00, makes all the difference in the world not only to the child receiving your bedkit but to the whole family, as many if not most of the bedkit items are shared. We have been told over the years that their child is not sick as often after receiving a bedkit and teachers have said the child’s school attendance has improved because the child is getting a better rest. What a GREAT gift for a child. Thank you donors. Wish you could be here!
Tanzania: A Wonderful Day!
Oh what a wonderful day! There truly are never two distributions that go the same! We found out last week that students at the school where we were to go today were writing exams and so we had to find a new location on very short notice. Mama Wandoa took on the task, and upon arrival at the new location, we were thrown another loop and brought to a third location. Luckily, the team was able to make the best of the situation and set up a great display for the photos and get the distribution rolling in good time! The drive took just over an hour, we were able to begin distributing the bedkits around 10:00 a.m. and were home at 3:00 p.m.
715 children today were fortunate enough to receive a bedkit. It was overwhelming to see them leave with such beautiful, big smiles. LALA SALAMA (sleep well). We were lucky enough today to see the children dressed in everyday clothes as school was out because of the older student's examinations.
Though 715 children received a bedkit today, it was so very sad to see the crowd of people on the opposite side of the fence who were unable to receive the same. There is so much need in this country that we wish we could have brought one to every child. It is our hope that we will be able to see the same smiles on the faces of those who did not receive this year by giving them each a bedkit on a future distribution.
Rita for Team Tanzania 2015
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715 children today were fortunate enough to receive a bedkit. It was overwhelming to see them leave with such beautiful, big smiles. LALA SALAMA (sleep well). We were lucky enough today to see the children dressed in everyday clothes as school was out because of the older student's examinations.
Though 715 children received a bedkit today, it was so very sad to see the crowd of people on the opposite side of the fence who were unable to receive the same. There is so much need in this country that we wish we could have brought one to every child. It is our hope that we will be able to see the same smiles on the faces of those who did not receive this year by giving them each a bedkit on a future distribution.
Rita for Team Tanzania 2015
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Tanzania: An Off Weekend
We do not have any distributions over the weekend. So I would like to recount what happened yesterday at our distribution. One of the requirements of SCAW is to interview parents and have them assess what is included now in the bedkit, and to find out if there is something that would be more useful to them. I interviewed a grandmother who was raising 3 children because both their parents were dead, and her granddaughter Mariam had received a bedkit. During the interview I learned that her vision was very poor and she was unable to see the blackboard at school. Mama Wandoa, our oversees Volunteer coordinator, was translating for me, and she said that she might know someone who could help. The owner of one of the products manufactured for us just happened to come to see how a distribution was carried out. Mama spoke with him, he talked with Mariam and her grandmother, and he immediately offered to pay to have her eyes examined and to buy glasses for her. WOW.
Thank you donors for changing the lives or 715 children. An addional and unexpected bonus was knowing that a child would also have her vision improved. Helping someone else, one person at a time.
Suzanne for Team Tanzania 2015
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Thank you donors for changing the lives or 715 children. An addional and unexpected bonus was knowing that a child would also have her vision improved. Helping someone else, one person at a time.
Suzanne for Team Tanzania 2015
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Tanzania: Second Distribution!
Our second day of distribution took us to 2 schools adjacent to the 2 schools where we were yesterday. When we arrived at 7:30am the children were already there, curious and excited to check us out. Something new was happening at their school today!
Many eyes were watching as we got everything ready to begin. As soon as some of the children were dressed in their new school clothes, Jim lined them up ready to have their photo taken. Each team member is assigned a job to ensure that the flow of the distribution goes smoothly and efficiently.
Today Helen had a successful first day photographing the children. After the picture is taken, the child picks up the bag with his/her own clothes, goes through another checkpoint then receives the bedkit and finally the mattress.
Today my job was to hand out the foam mattress to each child, the last stop. There was an enormous pile of mattresses (715) stacked behind me. Fortunately, I had help from 3 young volunteers who worked diligently making sure a mattress was ready for me to hand out. It is quite a sight to see a 6 year old with his new bedkit strapped to his back, his own clothes in a plastic bag in one hand and then I give him a 6 foot long, rolled up mattress. He has to perform a real balancing act when I put the foam mattress on his head. He reaches up his hands to hold it in place while also holding onto his other possessions. Then he looks up at me with his huge eyes and smiles as he walks away.
Suzanne interviewed several parents/ grandparents to get their thoughts on items in the bedkit.
With the help of all our team members, Mama Wandoa and her helpers, and all the other volunteer helpers, the work of distributing 715 bedkits is successfully accomplished. The children will sleep well on their new colourful mattresses. Many thanks to our thoughtful donors who make this possible.
Anne for Team Tanzania 2015
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Many eyes were watching as we got everything ready to begin. As soon as some of the children were dressed in their new school clothes, Jim lined them up ready to have their photo taken. Each team member is assigned a job to ensure that the flow of the distribution goes smoothly and efficiently.
Today Helen had a successful first day photographing the children. After the picture is taken, the child picks up the bag with his/her own clothes, goes through another checkpoint then receives the bedkit and finally the mattress.
Today my job was to hand out the foam mattress to each child, the last stop. There was an enormous pile of mattresses (715) stacked behind me. Fortunately, I had help from 3 young volunteers who worked diligently making sure a mattress was ready for me to hand out. It is quite a sight to see a 6 year old with his new bedkit strapped to his back, his own clothes in a plastic bag in one hand and then I give him a 6 foot long, rolled up mattress. He has to perform a real balancing act when I put the foam mattress on his head. He reaches up his hands to hold it in place while also holding onto his other possessions. Then he looks up at me with his huge eyes and smiles as he walks away.
Suzanne interviewed several parents/ grandparents to get their thoughts on items in the bedkit.
With the help of all our team members, Mama Wandoa and her helpers, and all the other volunteer helpers, the work of distributing 715 bedkits is successfully accomplished. The children will sleep well on their new colourful mattresses. Many thanks to our thoughtful donors who make this possible.
Anne for Team Tanzania 2015
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Tanzania: Our First Distribution!
Today was Team Tanzania's first distribution at Umoja with 710 bedkits. We arrived at the site just after 7 a.m. to see Mama Wandoa and her team of Tanzanian volunteers already hard at work folding and tying the mattresses. We were greeted by a crowd of hundreds of school children and were able to spend a few minutes playing, giving high fives and enjoying their brilliant smiles before listening to theTanzanian national anthem and watching some steel drum and dancing performances by the kids.
The distribution itself ran fairly smoothly with only minor bumps. Much less bumpy than the roads of Dar Es Salaam! This was the first distribution ever for myself and Team member, Rita. I feel like I have been waiting for this day since finding out that I was invited to come to Tanzania last winter, and it was truly a day to remember. The sun was hot but the day was filled with people coming together and working hard to give children the gift of a better night's sleep. I had the chance to practice my newly acquired, though limited, Swahili such as 'jambo' (hi), asante (thank you), habari (how are you?) and of course, 'lala salama' (sleep well) and enjoyed making this contact with so many children. Another highlight was seeing the labels printed with donor names of people from back home who have been so very supportive of our participation on this trip.
I am currently writing this blog as we are at a standstill in traffic, that which is very common here in Dar. What took us 25 minutes to drive this morning is looking to be a 2-3 hour return trip home. There is still much to do this evening and we look forward to another full day tomorrow for our next distribution. We hope that you will enjoy reading this blog and taking the journey with us over the next 9 days.
Until next time, lala salama.
Laura for Team Tanzania 2015
Tanzania: Day 1
Today started early as some of us attended a 6:00am church service with our hostess Mama Wandoa.Then after breakfast we met Mama and visited a potential supplier of mosquito nets for future distributions. Next was a stop at Mama's house where we saw all the bed kits and clothes that were stored there. We also met the people working for Mama who were responsible for sewing all the clothes for the distribution.
Next was slow drive through Dar es Salaam's nightmare traffic to visit the mattress supplier. It was a very interesting tour of the factory where all the mattresses were produced.
Grocery shopping followed, then a pre-distribution meeting with Mama and her daughter Wendy.
Jim Howley for Team Tanzania 2015
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Tanzania: And The Team Is Off!
Team Members are: Anne Andrew, Suzanne Andrew, Rita Chisholm, Clarence Deyoung, Jim Howley, Helen Scutt, Laura Smith
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Uganda: The Finale!
Today we journeyed to Nabwigulu where we were again greeted by the children and parents. This time they flanked the road in two straight lines all dressed in their new uniforms and singing as we drove up the long roadway to the distribution site. We felt like royalty.
Once again we were challenged by rain but completed the distribution successfully. We celebrated our 5000th bedkit with a group photo. Long after our departure from the site we could still remember the sweet voices of the children as they sang this song.
Welcome our visitors
We are happy to receive you
So glad
We shall never
We shall never ever forget you
Uganda: Day 9!
Today, Martyrs Day, we had the luxury of sleeping in, meeting for breakfast at 7:30 and then we were on our way around 8:30 am to Mirikiti distribution site, in Tororo. It was a holiday in Uganda, so we saw many families, including small children, working the fields as we drove through the countryside. Other children were hanging out with their parents and friends at the marketplace.
Among the recipients today, we distributed bedkits to two special groups of children. The first was a group of 50 children who were orphaned as a result of mudslides in Uganda. They lived with kind families during the week and on Saturdays they met at a recreation centre for arts, crafts and other activities. The second was a group of 10 children from an orphanage. They waited patiently for hours before receiving theirs gifts.
We felt proud, just like the free range turkeys we saw at a home where we were treated to a delicious well-balanced Ugandan meal.
Team Uganda 2015
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Uganda: Day 8
The children seemed to be happy and healthy.
We were challenged by the unusual group numbers to be arranged for the photos. There were groups of 42, 38, 34, 28, and 17. Everyone helped and the distribution went smoothly.
We were so sorry we did not have bedkits for every child.
4000 bedkits distributed!
From Team Uganda 2015.
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Uganda: Day 7
After a two hour drive down some bumpy dirt roads we arrived at our distribution site, Sanyonga. Once again we were greeted by a large group of parents as we got off the bus, all wanting to give us hugs. Their enthusiasm was overwhelming.
Team Uganda 2015
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The children were getting changed into their new clothes and were gathered under a canopy. We enjoyed their beautiful singing.
As with every day the skies were threatening rain. We had been fortunate in that most days we were able to complete our distribution before the rain started and this was our expectation. Unfortunately this was not to be the case today. We were about two thirds of the way through when it started to drizzle. It became heavier and heavier. Luckily we had the canopy where the children had been gathered and were able to move the bedkit underneath and finish our pictures. At the end of the day we were soaking wet but happy as were the 495 children who had received bedkits this day.
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Uganda: Day 6!
Today we began our day with a short 1 hour
drive to the distribution site . We were greeted by a huge group of ladies who
demonstrated their traditional dances and singing while hugging and thanking us
profusely. Being a Sunday, this was our biggest welcome yet with everyone in their best clothing (some even borrowed
for the occasion).
After another successful distribution to
500 children we were treated to a wonderful lunch at the family home of one of
the Members of the Inner Wheel of Kampala. Because SCAW is celebrating their 45th
anniversary, the ladies felt that this should be a special feast for us – and
it was!!
Local specialties such as beef , matoke, rice, potatoes, chicken , peanut sauce, plantain, greens, oranges, pineapple were followed by an enormous delicious cake. As we rested in the shade at this beautiful spot we reflected on the happy children and their incredibly grateful parents. Not only will 500 children sleep better tonight, their families have also received the gift of knowing that someone in another country cares about them!
Team Uganda 2015
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Uganda: Day 5
Arrived safely at Namaato to a rousing welcome. Ladies were singing and dancing. The children welcomed us with shaking fingers in the air which meant they were sending us flowers.
As we were looking for the perfect photo location, many locals came by to fill their Jerry cans with water from the bore hole.
As the team becomes more comfortable with the different tasks, it has enabled a team member to interview parents and grandparents. Each interview gives us a greater knowledge of the lives of these children. As we travel further east, it is clear that the need becomes even greater.
Thankfully, 495 more children left today with huge smiles and bedkits.
On our way to our next destination, we came across a troop of baboons which entertained us on the highway. Also seen was the Ugandan crested crane which is the national bird and protected by the government.
Team Uganda
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As we were looking for the perfect photo location, many locals came by to fill their Jerry cans with water from the bore hole.
As the team becomes more comfortable with the different tasks, it has enabled a team member to interview parents and grandparents. Each interview gives us a greater knowledge of the lives of these children. As we travel further east, it is clear that the need becomes even greater.
Thankfully, 495 more children left today with huge smiles and bedkits.
On our way to our next destination, we came across a troop of baboons which entertained us on the highway. Also seen was the Ugandan crested crane which is the national bird and protected by the government.
Team Uganda
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Uganda: Day 4
Green seemed to be the colour of the day today as our teamed bumped along the roads toward our destination at Igeyero. The "Pearl of Africa" revealed itself through fields of rice, matooke, sweet potatoes, ground nuts, cabbage, avocados, and mangos. The abundance of food in these areas make one wonder why the children we greet are so malnourished.
These beautiful little girls in their new green dresses waited so patiently for their bedkits. A few delays made their wait even longer as we dealt with a child who had been bitten by a snake during the night. Another child with a broken leg needed assistance. They were quickly given their kits and sent for medical attention.
During a short break to reset the photo location, we were able to interview 5 mothers with infants. They were very forthcoming with details of their struggles as mothers in a rural village. Many of the babies were born prematurely and were still very small for their ages. The mothers were thrilled with the small gifts we were able to give them. The smiles say it all.
2000 of 5000 bedkits now successfully delivered.
Team Uganda 2015
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These beautiful little girls in their new green dresses waited so patiently for their bedkits. A few delays made their wait even longer as we dealt with a child who had been bitten by a snake during the night. Another child with a broken leg needed assistance. They were quickly given their kits and sent for medical attention.
During a short break to reset the photo location, we were able to interview 5 mothers with infants. They were very forthcoming with details of their struggles as mothers in a rural village. Many of the babies were born prematurely and were still very small for their ages. The mothers were thrilled with the small gifts we were able to give them. The smiles say it all.
2000 of 5000 bedkits now successfully delivered.
Team Uganda 2015
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Uganda: Day 3
Five hundred boys and girls were waiting for us as we entered the school yard at Nawanyago primary school.
Once they had changed into their new clothes they were given a snack before having their photo taken and receiving their bedkit.
The day was sunny and very warm, but while we were still eating lunch the heavens opened and we had a thunderstorm and downpour - so much rain that the school water tanks overflowed!
Another 500 children with happy smiles and a comfy bed to sleep on!
Team Uganda 2015
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Uganda: A Rainy Day
We were all ready for breakfast at 5:15 this morning, and looking forward to another glorious day of making 495 adorable Ugandan children very happy. We were on our way at 6:10 am, picked up the hard-working women of the Inner Wheel of Kampala, then on to Buwama, about 1.5 hours away.
It seemed we were going to win again with another beautiful day, despite the weather prediction of rain. The women were singing, laughing and having a good time on the bus.
About 10 min after we arrived at the distribution site, we saw lightening flash across the darkening sky, followed by a burst of rolling thunder. The clouds seemed to be moving quickly so we thought nothing more of it.
The children and their parents greeted us with loud cheers and shouts. They were so excited to see us.
Soon after welcoming ceremonies, the downpour started. Thankfully the children were already in another building to prepare for the photographs. Parents were squeezing between building posts and under overhangs for shelter.
Unfortunately, the photographs had to be taken indoors.
The children were patiently waiting as we set up the display and proceeded with the distribution at 11:45 am. The rain stopped, the clouds cleared so the children received their bedkits outdoors.
The process continued smoothly so were finished by 1:35 pm. The children were excited to be on their way home with their gifts from Canada! Thank you, donors.